Passenger rail study moves forward

SANTA CRUZ &GT;&GT; County transportations planners moved ahead, some cautiously, with a study on the potential for a train that could one day carry commuters and tourists along the coast.

The unanimous vote was expected, and is aimed at providing members of Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission much-needed data on the viability of the oft-discussed idea. A report isn't expected back until next year.

"I think its very important ? to make a reasonable effort establish rail service on this rail line," RTC Vice Chair John Leopold said.

Continuing rail service was a condition of the state paying for the $14.5 million Branch Rail Line acquisition, though freight service continues and a seasonal holiday train has been in operation for two years.

But the idea of passenger rail through the dense, urban center of the county has inspired both enthusiasm and skepticism among commission members. Some are optimistic about the line, while others wonder about ridership or if it should be used for another mode of transit — high-speed busses, for example.

Commissioner Zach Friend said he wants to make sure the study includes not just cost, ridership and a look at potential stops, but projections about what the fares would be.

"We clearly need to the data to determine what the feasibility is," Friend said.

In many sections, the train would run alongside a planned trail, with both using the 32-mile line as a backbone. It would not be light rail, and an RTC consultant said a better comparison is the under-construction SMART Rail in Sonoma and Marin counties, initially connecting Sonoma County Airport and San Rafael. Another comparable line is the WES commuter line in suburban Portland, Oregon, which connects to the regional TriMet light rail system in Beaverton, Oregon.

"The unique context here is different than anything we've ever worked on, but I think that makes it special," Fehr and Peers associate Steve Crosley said.

Thursday's vote narrows the focus for an idea that the RTC has already received 2,000 public comments on. Fehr and Peers will analyze five service scenarios for cost and ridership estimates, each of which envisions different uses for the line. They range from limited, tourist-oriented service to a more robust commuter line.

The line would likely begin on the Westside of Santa Cruz, with Davenport ruled out due to limited ridership potential. Whether it goes all the way to Watsonville Junction — hooking up with potential future stops of the Capitol Corridor and Coast Daylight trains — is an open question.

South County resident Charles Huddleston said the RTC should make that connection and steer clear of service that serves the Santa Cruz area only.

"It turns it into a hobby for the rich end of the county, which is really not cool," Huddleston said.

Seabright resident Georgia Schuttish advocated for a stop in her neighborhood, saying a recent family trip to Europe demonstrated how well passenger rail service can work.